Auction Watch #135

Fuck you, yet again, eBay!

First things first – fuck you eBay.

At the very beginning of this year a M.U.S.C.L.E. bottleneck was feared. It seemed like the outrageous prices were appearing more and more – whereas in the past they would appear occasionally and become auctions that collectors could laugh at together.

But something is changing. More and more the outrageous auctions clog eBay and the “good” auctions are the exception. These terrible M.U.S.C.L.E. auctions do not bode well for the future of M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting. Don’t believe M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting is in bad shape? Take a look at these:

There will be some that say, “Well, if some people are willing to pay…”

That’s fine for the short-term. There will always be impulsive collectors that buy overpriced M.U.S.C.L.E. figures because they are cheaper than an AFA-graded Optimums Prime. But these buyers disappear as quickly as they appear. If M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting has any hope of actually growing, then it needs collectors that stay – not just buy and burnout.

Hopefully this shift in M.U.S.C.L.E. auctions is just and elongated build-up to the ever-repeating ebb and flow of M.U.S.C.L.E. prices. Or it is the signal of something changing.

The seller has chosen to take this figure to the best possible audience and left it to them to set the price. With the LRG forum adding a more sophisticated Classified section more and more M.U.S.C.L.E. buyers and sellers may leave eBay behind.

The current lack of bids for this Nestle Quik M.U.S.C.L.E. figure also highlights the extreme niche of sealed Nestle Quik figures. With only one bidder it seems unlikely that the end of the auction will see a flurry of activity.

The final price of the Nestle Quik figure will be $22.

One last eBay auction is worth highlighting. The auction, M U S C L E Men claw, certainly raises some red flags – weird picture, doesn’t accept PayPal, and super limited description. Lastly, the seller doesn’t seem to have any other M.U.S.C.L.E. figures, or even toys, for sale. Not the most critical piece of data, but definitely odd given the popularity of the Purple #153.

With a price already at $405.01 it seems that other collectors are not as worried. This will be interesting to watch unfold.